The Summer Palace
Beijing China
2014

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Summer_Palace

The Summer Palace is a vast ensemble of lakes, gardens and palaces in Beijing. It was an imperial garden in the Qing dynasty. Inside includes Longevity Hill Kunming Lake and Seventeen Hole Bridge. It covers an expanse of 2.9 square kilometres, three-quarters of which is water.

https://www.chinahighlights.com/beijing/attraction/summer-palace.htm

The Summer Palace (Yiheyuan), in northwest Beijing, is said to be the best-preserved imperial garden in the world, and the largest of its kind still in existence in China. It is only a short drive of 15 km (10 miles) from central Beijing, but it seems like another world.

Most people find they need to spend at least half a day there, as there's so much to see and enjoy.

Close to the Summer Palace, 3 kilometers (2 miles) southwest of it, there is another imperial garden called the Old Summer Palace. They are two different gardens.

The Summer Palace is known as the 'Imperial Garden Museum' in China as its purpose now is the preservation of national heritage material. It harmonizes plants and paths, water and land, architecture and horticulture, epitomizing the philosophy and practice of Chinese garden design.

The Summer Palace played a key role in the development of this Oriental cultural form, and perhaps represents its pinnacle.

The Summer Palace was used as a summer retreat by the Chinese royal family. During the hot Beijing summers, the imperial family preferred the beautiful gardens and airy pavilions of the Summer Palace to the walled-in Forbidden City. Dowager Empress Cixi took up permanent residence there for a time, giving rise to some wonderful tales of extravagance and excess.